Saturday 01 May 1920

At the Abingdon Borough Police Court on Tuesday, Edwin Fisher, cabman, Fyfield, was summoned for cruelty to a horse, but did not appear. Mr Finch, R.S.P.C.A., said that on the 17th April he found the horse, which was very old. in the High Street in a very bad state. He had called the defendant’s attention to sores on its back the week previous. The Bench ordered the horse to be destroyed, and adjourned the case sine die defendant to pay 10s towards costs.

The annual spring stock sale at Abingdon took place on Wednesday last week in the Tower Brewery Meadow, Ock Street. The entries exceeded 400 and were mostly from farmers in the district. Messrs Adkin. Belcher and Bowen, the auctioneers, sold most of the stock at good prices.

Saturday 08 May 1920

At the County Bench on Monday, James Sutton, labourer, of no fixed abode, was charged with breaking into the residence of William Hosier, Ock Mill, Abingdon, on April 29th. Prisoner had been previously convicted and the Bench sent the case to the Reading Assizes.

The Abingdon War Memorial Committee have decided that the site for the Memorial shall be the Square, the same place as the temporary cross is erected. The final vote for the Memorial design is to be left to the relations of the 205 men of the town who had lost their lives in the war, but are to be given three designs to choose from, viz a cross, a cenotaph, and a bronze figure of a Berks infantryman.

On Thursday in last week the members of the Abingdon Y.M. Social Club returned from war services were entertained to a dinner by C Pryce founder of the Club, which took place at the Assembly Rooms, Station Road. During the evening the presentation of a wallet of Treasury notes was presented to Mr A. J. Young who recently resigned the office of hon. sec and treasurer after 25 years service. Young’s, response, mentioned the fact that during the past 25 years he had not missed a single meeting of the Club which he estimated at nearly 300 meetings. He thanked the company for giving him such a happy ending to a pleasant chapter of his life.

Saturday 15 May 1920

At the Abingdon May Fair on Thursday in last week the Abingdon Market Place was occupied by roundabouts, stalls, etc , and there was a large attendance during the evening. The fair was originally a horse fair held in Lombard Street, but which has been defunct for many years.

The last of the winter series of lectures given in Abingdon under the auspices of the Berks Agricultural Society was delivered on Wednesday by Dr. B. Marett, Dean of Exeter College, Oxford, on prehistoric periods.

The Abingdon Cricket Club commenced their season on Saturday last with a match on the home ground against Oriel College, Oxford, the former winning by 54 runs.

Borough Court, Tuesday. John Pullinger, Radley, was fined 5s for not sending his child to school regularly.
Saturday 22 May 1920

On Monday most of the builders workmen, masons, bricklayers, painters etc-, came out on strike for the Oxford wages of 2s per hour, the present pay being per hour 1s 6 1/2d.

The Abingdon Division of the Berks Constabulary had a field day on Monday last amongst the motor drivers. All cars and motor cycles were held up for production of licenses, particulars of which were taken down. The episode interested many of the Abingdonians, especially the juveniles.

The Abingdon ‘lvy’ Lodge of Oddfellows have placed in their Lodge room an oak tablet in honour of 184 members of the Lodge, who served in the Forces during the war; 33 of whom made the supreme sacrifice. The tablet was designed by G. Dixon, Abingdon, and the names are in gilt letters, the unveiling the Memorial took place last week when the Vicar of Abingdon said the dedicatory prayers, and the hymn O God, our help in ages past was sung. There was a large company present including the Mayor.

The Abingdon Branch of the Comrades, at a meeting last week passed the following resolution to be sent to the Government ‘That this Branch, being gravely concerned at the news which reaches them from many parts of Ireland, of the conditions under which ex-Service men are living, the persecution which they are suffering, and the danger to their wives and families, calls upon the Government to take immediate steps to give protection to these men, who went without any compulsion whatever to fight side by side with their brothers of Great Britain overseas.
Saturday 29 May 1920

The Whitsuntide services at the Churches of St. Helen’s, St. Michael’s and St. Nicholas’. Abingdon, were attended on Sunday by large congregations, and the Churches were nicely decorated.

Thank you for the extracts to the Faringdon Advertiser and Vale of the White Horse Gazette on the British Newspaper Archive.